If you want a snapshot into just how different things are for the Seahawks, consider this: wide receiver Tyler Lockett, a 2015 draft pick who has yet to reach his 30th birthday, is now Seattle’s longest-tenured player.

Lockett knows a lot of his teammates will now be looking to him for guidance with training camp underway, and he’s ready to handle that extra responsibility.

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“It makes me feel old, for sure,” he said Wednesday on Seattle Sports’ Mike Salk Show about being the player with the most continuity on the roster. “I try not to really treat it any different. I think I’m still gonna be who I’ve always been – I may talk a little bit more, be a little bit more vocal, but at the end of the day I think I’ve always just been about making sure I’m taking care of mine first so that way I can be able to balance it out and go help everybody else. I don’t want to go help everybody else and I’m not taking care of what’s in front of me.”

The reason Lockett will be looked up to so much this season is pretty easy to figure out – quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner, the last remaining superstars from Seattle’s Super Bowl-winning 2014 team, have moved on. Wagner was released and subsequently signed with the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams, while Wilson landed in Denver after a blockbuster trade.

Lockett had tremendous on-field chemistry with Wilson, but he’s understanding of the situation.

“I mean, at the end of the day, I think they both had to do what was best for them,” he said of the Seahawks and Wilson. “I think that’s the best answer that you could be able to give. At the end of the day, I wish him all the best. I know he’s gonna succeed and I know he’s gonna do great because as a team, we know what he brought. We know all the things that he did, all the work and effort that he put into it, day in and day out, so there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to be great whenever he’s out there with the Broncos. You know, they got themselves a good one.”

Now Lockett will play a key role as Seattle figures out its new starting quarterback as a battle between Geno Smith, Drew Lock and Jacob Eason takes place.

“Well, I think the biggest thing is we’re just learning how to adapt to each player,” Lockett said. “You know, we still got Jacob Eason out there, too, and he’s done a great job when we’ve been in spring training. I think the biggest thing is it’s all gonna come down to how they perform in camp, all the things that they do. They’re picking up the offense great. Like, obviously, Geno’s been here for (three years), and I think they both (Smith and Lock) have been doing phenomenal. Jake’s been doing phenomenal.

“They’ve been doing everything that the coaches wanted them to see thus far all the way up until training camp. We’ve been building that chemistry and just learning how to be able to put ourselves in the best positions to be able to help each and every one of us out, so I’m looking forward to camp, man. I think it’s gonna be a great camp and we’ll just see what ends up happening.”

Memories of playing with Carson

On the eve of training camp, the Seahawks announced they would press on without running back Chris Carson, releasing him with an injury designation as he reportedly planned to retire due to a neck injury that cut his 2021 season short. Twice a 1,000-yard rusher with a trademark running style that was hard-hitting, the former seventh-round pick hangs up his cleats at the age of just 27.

Lockett shared his thoughts with Mike Salk on a teammate he repeatedly called a “special” player.

“He was an absolute phenomenal player, man. Just being able to see how he worked at practice, being able to see how he ran the ball, how he toted the rock,” Lockett said. “I mean, he was everything that you would ask for in a player just with his mindset, the physicality, all of that type of stuff, and he really changed the game for us. He gave us momentum. He was a gamechanger whenever he was out there playing, and we’re definitely gonna miss him because it’s hard being able to find players like that. I’m just blessed to be able to be his friend and all of that, and I just wish him the best.”

Lockett said it was clear the Seahawks had found a diamond in the rough when they drafted Carson with a late-round selection out of Oklahoma State in 2017.

“We all knew what we had when we first seen him as a rookie, when he was a seventh-round draft pick. We knew what we had and we knew that he was somebody that was special, the way he carried the ball, the way he ran with the ball, he was able to catch the ball in the backfield. It was something that was truly special, man. We got to see it every single day. You know, fans got to see it on Sundays or for training camp when they would come out here and watch some practices, but we got the chance to be able to see it every day.”

You can listen to the full conversation with Lockett in the podcast at this link or in the player below.

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